Loi Kratong in Chiang Mai. The area around the River Ping.

One of the key Thai festivals on the annual calendar, Loi Krathong, took place on Monday evening, Bangkok’s populace heading in droves for the water to light candles nestling on small “rafts” (Krathong) that are then gently lowered into the river, wishes are made, the hopes and dreams of city dwellers, along with any bad luck, consigned with a flourish for safekeeping to the dark swirling waters of the Chao Phraya River which winds like a giant, lazy snake through the heart of Bangkok. I start tonights adventure at the southern end of the city where the BTS line crosses the river, and I get a quick idea what is in store when I try to squeeze onto the Skytrain at Siam, which is packed to the rafters, not the norm for the post rush hour. Alighting from the spur line at Saphan Taksin Station where the BTS disgorges passengers before skimming over the Chao Phraya on the Taksin Bridge, I am immediately and, but less unexpectedly by now, thrust into a huge scrum of people. I was expecting it to be busy here as this one of the key transport hubs where the BTS meets the river, but its really, really busy. Getting down to the Sathorn Pier it is a case of filing slowly along past stall after stall of Krathong makers selling their wares, people behind the tables busily crafting these intricate arrangements, as buyers flock around, with the skill and dexterity of a lifetime of experience. The Krathongs themselves are mostly around ten inches across with a base tightly fashioned out …

FACEBOOK: www.Facebook.com Nicholas Snow was on hand at CentralWorld to catch some dance performances at the press conference announce Thailand’s 2009 Loi Krathong festivities. The Tourism Authority of Thailand explains, “as the full moon of the twelfth lunar month (usually in mid-November) lights up the night sky, throughout the Thai kingdom, hundreds of thousands of ornately-decorated krathong or traditional banana leaf floats are set adrift in rivers and waterways in a spell-binding ritual called Loi Krathong - the ‘festival of light.’ This is one of the Kingdom’s oldest and preserved traditions. For more information, see the blogs at www.NotesFromThailand.com. Snowbiz247. Small screen. Big host. Worldwide audience. See more episodes at www.Snowbiz247.com.

Planning to visit Thailand around Loi Krathong in Sukhothai (7-12 Nov, 2008) or in Chiang Mai (11-13 Nov, 2008) and found these videos. Go to www.loikrathong.net for more…megu

www.jenniferwold.com

Loi Krathong Festival, Patong Beach, 2007

Loi Krathong Festival Kasetsart University Suphanburi Campus 2007 November 24

Follow Jennifer as she explores the Loi Krathong Festival with her LG Viewty camera phone

Will be there for the 2009 version. This was created by allthai on youtube, and will only be up here as long as he/she doesn’t object.

The Loi Krathong parade on Friday November 23 in Tha Phae Road.